Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth

This paper begins with a brief biography of Shakespeare and summaries of the plays “Romeo and Juliet” and “Macbeth.” The paper then presents Julia Kristeva’s critique about hatred in `Romeo and Juliet` and Gerry Brenner’s critique of the friar in that same play. The paper presents Harold Goddard’s interpretation of the characters in `Macbeth` as criminals. The paper concludes with a comment on each of the two plays: 1)Romeo and Juliet’s love was narcissistic; and 2) Macbeth and Lady Macbeth roles reverse by the end of the play.

“William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. The exact date of his birth is unknown but his christening took place on April 26, 1564 therefore it is assumed he was born on April 23, 1564. His father, John, was a glove maker. He was tutored at an early age and then attended the Free School in Stratford when he was seven years old. His father took him out of school when he was 13 years old to have him apprenticed as a butcher. When he was 18 years old he married Anne Hathaway. The 26 year old woman was approximately three months pregnant when they married in November 1582. Their first daughter, Susanna, was born on May 26, 1583. Three years later, their twins, son Hamnet and daughter Judith, were born. Both were named after family friends. Little is known about his relationship with his family or what transpired in his life over the next several years.”